XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases

Date:      Mon, 09 Oct 2000 11:45:00 -0700
From:      Kimbro Staken <kstaken@dbxmlgroup.com>
To:        dbxml-core-announce@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject:   [dbXML-core-announce] XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases - an invitation

Dear Colleague

XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases - an invitation

We are writing to you on behalf of XML:DB, an industry initiative chartered with the development of open specifications for the XML database industry. Currently all XML database vendors are forced to develop their own proprietary mechanism for managing the data stored by their product. We are concerned that, without some initiative to bring these efforts together, this will lead to considerable confusion and duplication among users and, that as a result, the opportunities that XML databases offer to the market will not be maximized. Standards will facilitate the growth of a knowledgeable work force comfortable with the use of XML database products and the tools associated with them. Current database workers assume the existence of standards for RDBMS products and will therefore expect the same to be available for XML databases. More information about XML:DB can be found on our Web site http://www.xmldb.org.

The W3C has been the primary force behind the development of XML standards and is currently in the process of specifying a standard for XML query. The XML:DB initiative is not a replacement for the efforts of the W3C; however, it is our feeling that the development of standards for XML databases falls outside the current charter for the W3C. In particular, the first task for XML:DB will be the development of a standard XML update language. The current specification for XML Query states that update languages will be considered in a future version of the XML Query standard. This presents a serious problem for XML database companies who require an update language that is available today.

Therefore, SMB GmbH, dbXML Group L.L.C and The OpenHealth Care Group have joined together to create the XML:DB initiative. Our goal is to develop open standards for XML databases along with open source implementations of those standards. Our first project will be the development of an XML update language. It is our goal to fast track the development of this update language and a reference implementation leveraging the open source development model. All implementations will be licensed under the Apache open source license.

We invite you to join this new initiative and hope that you will be able to accept this invitation and participate in this unique effort. To do so, please email Kimbro Staken of dbXML Group L.L.C, kstaken@dbxmlgroup.com, copying it to Lars Martin of SMB GmbH lars@smb-tec.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Kimbro Staken
Chief Technology Officer, dbXML Group L.L.C

Lars Martin
Management, SMB GmbH
dbXML-Core-Announce mailing list
dbXML-Core-Announce@lists.sourceforge.net
http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dbxml-core-announce

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.

SEARCH Advanced Search ABOUT Site Map CP RSS Channel Contact Us Sponsoring CP About Our Sponsors NEWS Cover Stories Articles & Papers Press Releases CORE STANDARDS XML SGML Schemas XSL/XSLT/XPath XLink XML Query CSS SVG TECHNOLOGY REPORTS XML Applications General Apps Government Apps Academic Apps EVENTS LIBRARY Introductions FAQs Bibliography Technology and Society Semantics Tech Topics Software Related Standards Historic	XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 11:45:00 -0700 From: Kimbro Staken <kstaken@dbxmlgroup.com> To: dbxml-core-announce@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [dbXML-core-announce] XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases - an invitation Dear Colleague XML:DB Standards Initiative for XML Databases - an invitation We are writing to you on behalf of XML:DB, an industry initiative chartered with the development of open specifications for the XML database industry. Currently all XML database vendors are forced to develop their own proprietary mechanism for managing the data stored by their product. We are concerned that, without some initiative to bring these efforts together, this will lead to considerable confusion and duplication among users and, that as a result, the opportunities that XML databases offer to the market will not be maximized. Standards will facilitate the growth of a knowledgeable work force comfortable with the use of XML database products and the tools associated with them. Current database workers assume the existence of standards for RDBMS products and will therefore expect the same to be available for XML databases. More information about XML:DB can be found on our Web site http://www.xmldb.org. The W3C has been the primary force behind the development of XML standards and is currently in the process of specifying a standard for XML query. The XML:DB initiative is not a replacement for the efforts of the W3C; however, it is our feeling that the development of standards for XML databases falls outside the current charter for the W3C. In particular, the first task for XML:DB will be the development of a standard XML update language. The current specification for XML Query states that update languages will be considered in a future version of the XML Query standard. This presents a serious problem for XML database companies who require an update language that is available today. Therefore, SMB GmbH, dbXML Group L.L.C and The OpenHealth Care Group have joined together to create the XML:DB initiative. Our goal is to develop open standards for XML databases along with open source implementations of those standards. Our first project will be the development of an XML update language. It is our goal to fast track the development of this update language and a reference implementation leveraging the open source development model. All implementations will be licensed under the Apache open source license. We invite you to join this new initiative and hope that you will be able to accept this invitation and participate in this unique effort. To do so, please email Kimbro Staken of dbXML Group L.L.C, kstaken@dbxmlgroup.com, copying it to Lars Martin of SMB GmbH lars@smb-tec.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Kimbro Staken Chief Technology Officer, dbXML Group L.L.C Lars Martin Management, SMB GmbH dbXML-Core-Announce mailing list dbXML-Core-Announce@lists.sourceforge.net http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dbxml-core-announce Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.